REVIEW - 'Flightplan' (2005)

The movie “Flightplan” was first released in 2005, and since then, it’s been thought of as a harrowing airplane story straight out of any parent’s nightmares. Keep reading if you want to know why this movie is worth a rewatch (or a first-time watch) years later.

Here’s a quick warning: This review is not spoiler-free. Some plot details will be discussed, but the ending will not be mentioned.

What Would You Do If Someone Went Missing?

This film could be considered a remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s The Lady Vanishes, made in the 1930s, due to their similarities. The likeness is uncanny, even if Flightplan stands on its own as a strong movie — which it does. Its plot can strike terror into anyone’s heart and leave them feeling anxious on behalf of the story’s mother.

In this movie, Kyle Pratt is a mother in mourning, trying to take her daughter home to the United States after Pratt’s husband died mysteriously. What most people think was a suicide leaves Pratt feeling not so sure. Since there aren’t many people on the plane, Pratt and her daughter lie down in separate rows to get some rest. When Pratt wakes up, she notices that her daughter has gone missing.

Jodie Foster and Marlene Lawston in “Flightplan” (Photo: Ron Batzdorff, SMPSP, ©Touchstone Pictures).

Noticing that anyone is missing might leave you feeling anxious, but when you suddenly can’t find your child, the fear is so unthinkable. This movie will resonate with many people’s hearts as Pratt goes from worried to hysterical in searching for her daughter. While some characters prove helpful, many chalk it up to Pratt experiencing a nervous breakdown. All in all, signs point to her daughter never having boarded the plane — or did she?

If this movie has made you nervous about the same thing happening on one of your flights, don’t fret. You could consider chartering a private jet with much fewer passengers on board — and it’s much cleaner than a commercial aircraft, too. If that isn’t in your budget, you can rest assured that plane experiences like those depicted in this movie don’t happen frequently and are sensationalized for the purposes of a film.

Flightplan’s Strengths

Flightplan does an excellent job of setting the mood. As the movie continues, viewers will feel more on-edge alongside Kyle Pratt as she searches for her daughter. This movie creates an interesting dynamic — someone has gone missing, but there is no possibility of her being anywhere but inside the plane, if she even existed at all. This film will have viewers wracking their brains about where the child could be while begging someone to believe in Pratt’s words.

The film is also airtight and believable. While many things fall into place a little too conveniently, many parts of the film feel rooted in reality. The passengers aboard the plane had the right luggage for their carry-ons, and the movie didn’t overlook this detail, as it had characters checking the overhead compartments. It also preys upon the fear of airlines at the time. In a time not far removed from 9/11, it does an excellent job of conveying the panic and terror that could seize people aboard an aircraft.

Where Flightplan Starts to Spiral

Jodie Foster and Peter Sarsgaard in “Flightplan.” (Photo: Touchstone Pictures).

Unfortunately, taking from the 9/11 fears also harms Flightplan to an extent. Kyle Pratt at one point accuses an Arab man of harming her daughter. While it might do a good job of helping the audience realize their own prejudices, especially back in 2005, it can come off as insensitive to the unfair struggles many people go through just to board planes today.

While this movie does an excellent job of convincing you that her daughter going missing may all be in her head, you never really get to see a perspective that doesn’t belong to the main character. This occurrence is normal in films, but it does help the viewer believe Pratt more than anyone else, like other passengers who may rightfully think that she’s in grief or having a breakdown. All in all, this movie is sort of predictable, but it pulls it off with the charm of a mid-2000s movie and creates an enjoyable watch all the same.

Buckle Your Seatbelts for Some Turbulence

Overall, Flightplan deserves an A-. Despite some of its flaws, this film is a solid watch. You shouldn’t watch it with your children, but teenagers and adults alike can enjoy the thrills this psychological horror and action movie can offer them. Flightplan earned $90 million at the box office in the United States alone. The film’s success leaves people talking about it over a decade later, and it’s well worth adding to your collection if you’ve never seen it. Buckle up and enjoy the emotional ride that Flightplan takes you on.